2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.7% (male 811,080; female 761,728) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,578,320; female 3,557,800) 65 years and over: 18.3% (male 866,425; female 1,090,636) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Airports

79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 17

total

66

under 914 m

9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

13 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

10 (2002)

Area

land

130,800 sq km

total

131,940 sq km

water

1,140 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Alabama

Background

Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992). Geography Greece

Birth rate

9.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$45 billion

Capital

Athens

Climate

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

13,676 km

Constitution

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Country name

conventional long form

Hellenic Republic

conventional short form

Greece

former

Kingdom of Greece

local long form

Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form

Ellas or Ellada

Currency

euro (EUR)

note

on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$63.4 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER

embassy

91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens

mailing address

PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108

telephone

[30] (210) 721-2951

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES

consulate(s)

Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

Disputes - international

Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.7 (1993)

Economic aid - recipient

$5.4 billion from EU

Economy - overview

Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily with economic growth averaging 4% since 1997, exceeding EU growth by more than 1 percentage point. Remaining challenges include the reduction of the public debt, inflation, and unemployment; and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. The Olympic Games will be held in Athens in mid-2004.

Electricity - consumption

48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

94.5%

hydro

3.8%

nuclear

0%

other

1.7% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Olympus 2,917 m

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Ethnic groups

Greek 98%, other 2%

note

the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 365.4 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998)

note

in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)

election results

Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%

elections

president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996)

Exports

$12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners

Germany 10.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 6.3%, Bulgaria 5.4%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 4.7% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 939-1324

[30] (210) 645-6282

chancery

2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

consulate(s) general

Thessaloniki

telephone

[1] (202) 939-1300

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Greece

Flag description

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country Economy Greece

GDP

purchasing power parity - $203.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

8.1%

industry

22.3%

services

69.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands People Greece

Government type

parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Heliports

7 (2002) Military Greece

Highways

paved

107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)

total

117,000 km

unpaved

9,594 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,800 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.3% (1993 est.)

lowest 10%

3%

Illicit drugs

a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners

Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.4%, South Korea 6%, France 5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, US 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.1% (2002)

Independence

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (2000 est.)

Industries

tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Infant mortality rate

female

5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

6.64 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.gr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

27 (2000)

Internet users

1.4 million (2002) Transportation Greece

Irrigated land

14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Labor force

4.37 million (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 20%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km

total

1,228 km

Land use

arable land

22.12%

other

69.41% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

8.47%

Languages

Greek 99% (official), English, French

Legal system

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5

elections

elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA May 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.65 years (2003 est.)

male

76.32 years

total population

78.89 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.5% (2003 est.) Government Greece

male

98.6%

total population

97.5%

Location

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

6 NM

Median age

female

41 years (2002)

male

38.6 years

total

39.8 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 289, cargo 59, chemical tanker 32, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 4, container 47, liquefied gas 7, passenger 14, petroleum tanker 281, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 49, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2

total

813 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,173,608 GRT/51,184,723 DWT

Military branches

Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.91% (FY99/00 est.) Transnational Issues Greece

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,662,208 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,026,409 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

21 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

74,650 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Nationality

adjective

Greek

noun

Greek(s)

Natural gas - consumption

2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

254.9 million cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

severe earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential

Net migration rate

1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

4.5 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 1,531 km; oil 108 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

10,665,989 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.19% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

5.02 million (1997)

Railways

dual gauge

23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2002)

narrow gauge

961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge

standard gauge

1,565 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,571 km (764 km electrified)

Religions

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telephone system

domestic

microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

general assessment

adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service

international

tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

5.431 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

937,700 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions

2.54 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.3% (2002 est.)

Waterways

80 km

note

system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers